Job Done: the Orange Army signs off on the repaired railway at Dawlish. Credit: Simon Deane

Over the last few weeks the 'orange army' completed the final milestone in their 18-month project to repair Dawlish's railway line; rebuild and strengthen the sea wall; and carry out cliff stabilisation work at Teignmouth, to prevent any future extreme weather causing the level of damage that occurred last year.

This means for the first time, the full length of the walkway from Dawlish Warren to Teignmouth can be used in both low and high tide.

We've now completed the final stage of our work to rebuild the railway line through Dawlish and improve the area's resilience.

This is a significant milestone in the town's history and so it seems only right we share it with the local community, which is why we have organised this event.

It is also very important to us to be able to thank residents for their patience and support throughout what has been a very complex, multi-site and multi-faceted project.

– Sophie Young, Network Rail's scheme project manager

While Network Rail's work to repair the damage in Dawlish is now complete, the company is continuing its work to secure the future of the railway line between Exeter and Newton Abbot.

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British Transport Police are appealing for information after several trains in South Devon have crashed into objects deliberately placed on the railway line.

Debris found on railway lines Credit: British Transport Police

In the last month, concrete lids, metal road signs and cones have been put on the line near Newton St Cyres. The incidents have led to several delays.

Some time in the early hours of Tuesday, 5 May, four concrete troughing lids were deliberately placed on the line close to Newton St Cyres station.

We believe these were deliberate acts, and again the objects were hit by trains.
Fortunately nobody was hurt in any of the incidents, but clearly the actions of those who are doing this are reckless.
They have endangered the safety of everyone on board the trains which struck the objects, and are risking their own safety by trespassing.
We are working hard with the local community to find those responsible. I would urge anyone with information to get in contact.

The station layout was approved by Devon County Council last March. Credit: Artist's impression

Plans for a 4 point 5 million pound railway station at the new town of Cranbrook in east Devon have been submitted It will have one platform and will be used as the main transport link for the 3 thousand homes planned for the development.

From singers to steamtrains. Pop impresario Pete Waterman has unveiled an award for heritage railway of the year. The man who wrote hits for Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan and is credited with 500 million worldwide record sales is president of the Gloucestershire/Warwickshire steam railway.

Pete Waterman is president of the Gloucestershire/Warwickshire steam railway. Credit: ITV West

He unveiled the award at Winchcombe station and told me that steam is in his blood: his first job was working on the railways in Coventry. He once owned the famous Flying Scotsman train but received hate mail from enthusiasts when he painted it the wrong shade of green!